1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to high pressure hot water washers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hot water high pressure washing system incorporating a heat exchanger therein working in combination with a timer mechanism to reduce the temperature of the water when the washer is idle over a given period of time.
2. General Background
In the art of high pressure washers for cleaning grease, oil, or other compounds, such as dried oil-based muds from mechanical components, as for example, rig machinery, or the like, it is necessary that in addition to the water being at high pressures, that the water be heated, to a temperature, for example 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Such cleaning systems currently in the art utilize water from a source entering the system, and engaging a pressure switch in order to activate the system. The water flows to a water heater for heating the water to the desired temperature. The heated water then enters a pump, which pressures the water stream, so that when a pressure washer wand is manually activated, the high pressure stream of hot water flows from the wand and cleans the component to be cleaned. However, oftentimes, during cleaning, the person operating the wand, must interrupt the work for lengths of time. During this time the hot water continues to circulate within a closed loop in the head of the pump until the pressure wand is reactivated, unless the water source is turned off. The problem with this arrangement is that the water will continue to be circulated at that high temperature and will then "spike" at a much higher temperature, e.g. 180 degrees fahrenheit, during the closed loop cycle. This spiking causes damage to the internal seals, etc. of the pump head and usually results in shortening the life of the pump and ultimately incapacitating the pump.
The problem cannot always be avoided simply by turning off the source of water to the pump, since this is not always a convenient means to operate the system. In order to avoid damage to pumps, what is needed is a means to reduce the temperature of the water sufficiently so that the pump system is not damaged while the pump is in idle, but does not require shutting down the water source entirely.